Nevada Primary Results

[Awsi Dooger]

No suspense at the top. Jack Carter and John Ensign via rout in the senate primaries.

Looks like the more progressive Dina Titus will trounce Henderson mayor Jim Gibson for our gov nomination. It was expected to be a close race until a couple of weeks ago. Very early returns from northern Nevada favor Titus nearly 2/1. If she wins there, no way Gibson can overcome it in Clark County, which is more liberal. Titus will be an underdog to Republican nominee Jim Gibbons, who is leading big over Bob Beers in early results.

This link has all the races, somewhat difficult to look at but it's interesting since it breaks it down county by county: http://www.secretaryofstate.biz/nvelection/2006StateWidePrimary/ElectionSummary.htm

The GOP primary for treasurer includes a dead woman, Kathy Augustine. She either died via heart attack or was murdered by her former husband about 5 weeks ago. Still under investigation. There was speculation she could win this primary, but Augustine has gotten off to a very slow posthumous start with 14%.

One statewide race that could be interesting in November is secretary of state, with our nominee Ross Miller, son of former popular two term governor Bob Biller, vs. Danny Tarkanian, son of former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian. Miller is the November favorite and will win big tonight, while Tarkanian is expected to have a much closer primary.

[ProSense]

1. Thanks for the report!

How does Carter looked matched up to Ensign? The vote totals for the primaries are about 2 to 1 ensign Republican.

[Awsi Dooger]

2. The early numbers are from northern Nevada

That's why the totals will be almost twice as many Republican votes as Democratic votes.

It also translates to Carter's problem in November. Also for Titus and the remainder of our candidates.

Nevada is like two separate conflicting races. Democrats need a big edge coming out of Clark County (Las Vegas), which has more than half the votes in the state. Then you hope that edge in Clark County can hold on against the numbers from smaller rural counties in the state, plus Reno and Carson City.

Defeating Ensign will be a problem for Carter or any Democrat since Ensign is from Las Vegas, so he diminishes that typical Democratic advantage in Clark County.

[ProSense]

7. Thank you!

Guess the best to hope for is that Republicans become more disenchanted.

[LA lady]

4. Depends on the poll

Rasmussen:
Nevada: Carter (D) Catching Ensign (R) in Senate Race?
Governor’s Race: Gibbons (R ) Leads Titus

August 7, 2006

Republican Senator John Ensign Incumbent Republican Senator John Ensign (R) is facing an increasingly competitive race in his bid for re-election to a second term in the U.S. Senate. A recent Rasmussen Reports election survey of 500 likely voters shows Ensign’s lead in the single-digits—46% to 39%—over Democrat Jack Carter (see crosstabs ).
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-12-Sat-2006/news/9022253.html

Mason Dixon:

Aug. 12, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Ensign holds big lead in poll

Carter gains, but still 21 points behind

More Nevadans know Jack Carter today than four months ago, but the president's son turned Democratic Senate candidate is still far from giving the Republican incumbent a competitive run.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-12-Sat-2006/news/9022253.html

[ProSense]

9. Thanks! n/t

[calimary]

3. Now that's pretty damned funny!

"...but Augustine has gotten off to a very slow posthumous start with 14%."

Sorry - but it appealed to my ever-so-twisted sense of humor! :D

[Awsi Dooger]

5. Hey, it worked!

That was my intention, calimary. I left out the smilie since I wanted it to be subtle and obscure.

[calimary]

18. I happen to like dry "droll-ery" in my humor.

AND the subtle and obscure. Most of my funniest stuff goes straight over my own head. :evilgrin:

[Ken Burch]

8. She either died of a heart attack or was MURDERED by her ex-husband?

Great Medical Examiner's office you got there in Nevada. It takes talent to narrow down the possible causes like that.:sarcasm:

[Awsi Dooger]

11. They sent it to an FBI crime laboratory in Virginia

Looks like it was a current husband. She was divorced a few years earlier from a different guy.

It wasn't considered a suspicious death until the current husband tried to commit suicide a few days later: http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060717/NEWS18/607170354

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- As a probe continued into the sudden death of state Controller Kathy Augustine and her husband's suicide attempt, her brother said Monday he's suspicious and will "cooperate 100 percent" with police to help resolve the bizarre case.

"Our family is suspicious about the circumstances, absolutely," said Philip Alfano, 41, a high school principal from Turlock, Calif. "But we're not going to rush to judgment."

Reno Police Department spokesman Steve Frady said Monday investigators are focusing on Augustine's activities leading up to a 911 call from her husband, Chaz Higgs, on July 8, who said he found her unconscious in the bedroom of their Reno home. Augustine, 50, died four days later without regaining consciousness.

As the police probe broadened, Higgs, 42, slashed his wrists in an apparent suicide attempt Friday at the couple's Las Vegas home. He was released from a hospital later that day, and wasn't present for Augustine's funeral on Saturday.

Higgs said Augustine suffered a massive heart attack, although Reno Police Deputy Chief Jim Johns has said that preliminary "indications" showed no evidence of long-term heart disease.

Frady said that given the high-profile nature of the case, autopsy tests that normally would be done by a local crime laboratory to help determine cause of death will be handled by the FBI's lab in Quantico, Va.

[Ken Burch]

13. Well, hope the feds don't screw this up.

There's been all sorts of stories about things getting screwy about the Quantico lab.

(BTW, I didn't mean to make light of anyone's death, it just sounded so weird that they were saying it was
"either a heart attack or murder".

[Awsi Dooger]

6. Meanwhile, it looks like there's a problem with that link

On local TV they have results coming in from Clark County. But none on that secretary of state website.

Local TV just indicated there was a problem with that website. It hasn't been update in quite a while. I'll look for a different one.

[Awsi Dooger]

10. This is the best alternate link I can find

Not as convenient since you have to click on an individual race: http://election.eyewitnessnews8.com/racelist.htm

The other link from atop the thread is now slowly updating but still no numbers from Clark County.

[Awsi Dooger]

12. Jack Carter was briefly interviewed on local TV

"Ensign has voted with Bush 96% of the time."

So expect that to be his message in the fall campaign.

I'm still much more enthused about the gov race. Jim Gibbons won't be able to duck debates with Dina Titus, as he did throughout the Republican primaries until last week.

Titus is a superior debater. The local political analysts were just looking at the race, and how Titus would figure to dominate the debates with Gibbons. Also that Titus did much better in northern Nevada than expected, causing the top local political guy, Jon Ralston, to say he "may need to rethink this race."

Still, Ralston mentioned the big problem at the end of his analysis, "the GOP's hammer lock on statewide races in Nevada."

[Awsi Dooger]

14. Audio of Dina Titus ripping her student for aiding opponent's GOTV

I'm not sure this will have any legs, but it's a weird story that can't help Dina Titus. She is a professor and apparently a current 21 year old student of hers named Heather, who was working for Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Bob Unger, was caught volunteering for Titus's Democrat opponent, Jim Gibson. Titus found out and was ticked.

She left an annoyed voice mail last night for Heather, who apparently didn't mind sharing it with the media despite Titus being her professor, and the almost certain nominee for governor. There goes that grade.

http://vegaspundit.typepad.com/vegas_pundit/files/DW_B0144-1.wav

[Awsi Dooger]

15. If you want to root for something

Check out the Republican primary in congressional District 2. The race is incredibly close, an 11 vote margin right now. Our candidate, Jill Derby, polls much better against Sharron Angle than Dean Heller.

Derby would also have a cash advantage over Angle and not necessarily Heller. It's a huge district that covers most of the state and has a big GOP registration edge, but Derby is our best shot in a long time.

[The Wolf]

16. I didn't have much faith Angle was gonna win the GOP primary for CD-2...

She was way too much of a crazy ass bitch to appeal to the Republicans here which, although easily manipulated by the Right Wing shit merchants, usually aren't fond of the far right winger representing them (Gibbons doesn't count since that slimy little bastard knows how to hide it from them well). I still think Derby has a great chance to take out Heller in November. The Dems picked up a 10,000 vote edge up here in Washoe County over the Republicans, which may help her if she can appeal to Independents. It'll be a fight, but I saw her first campaign ad here in Reno. She's got the potential to reach out to the rural voters. We'll see if it comes to fruition in November.

[RedTail Wolf]

17. Go Jack Go!

A while back there was a link posted to contribute to Jack's run! I did. I meet him in Georgia years ago and I support him now, won't you? http://www.carterfornevada.com/
Give a little let's make it a race!


RedTail Wolf